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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25429957">What's Next?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ria_Grey/pseuds/Ria_Grey'>Ria_Grey</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>What's Next? [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, On-Again/Off-Again Relationship, Past Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:15:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>375</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25429957</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ria_Grey/pseuds/Ria_Grey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After an exhausting battle, Charles asks Erik what he is going to do next.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>What's Next? [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1842571</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>What's Next?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somiko_Raven/gifts">crystallized-iron (Somiko_Raven)</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The dust was still settling across the now eerily quiet battlefield. Though tired, the mutants had stood victorious over the threat that had, until recently, loomed over them all. The young mutants had dropped down, searching the ruins of the city around them for any survivors, while Charles and Erik were on an overlooking building that stood nearby.</p><p>Charles seethed as he pulled himself up to sit against a pile of rubble, his chair having been destroyed in the fight. “Remarkable what we can accomplish,” he said between breaths, “when we put aside our differences and work together.”</p><p>“Of course,” Erik said softly, “there is none who can stand before our combined power.” He took a few steps forward and stood on the edge of the building top, his gaze absently scanning the horizon. “It’s too bad we disagree on many key issues.”</p><p>“It is,” Charles nodded lightly, “but I have faith we will one day work through those differences.”</p><p>Erik let out a slow breath and pulled some metal shards out of the debris and started idly spinning them around his hand, twisting and morphing the shards together.</p><p>The two were silent for a while, the only sounds that of the others still searching the ruins.</p><p>“So what are you going to do now?” Charles finally asked, “you disappear and try and find your peace and I don’t get to see you again until the next big crisis?”</p><p>Erik stood contemplatively for a while until he formed the metal he had been playing with into a ring. He watched it for a while until he closed it in his fist and gave Charles a long look over his shoulder. His free hand moved up and slowly pulled his helmet off. “Why don’t you tell me?”</p><p>Charles looked Erik over slowly before sighing softly. “Erik…”</p><p>Erik turned to stare at the horizon again. “That’s what I thought,” he said quietly to himself. He dropped his helmet down at Charles’ feet and tossed the ring off the side of the building. “Goodbye, Charles,” he said and he lifted himself into the air and floated away.</p><p>“Goodbye, Erik,” Charles said softly as he watched his friend disappear into the distance, wondering when he would see him again.</p>
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